


Bonded

by WolfStar2018



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Bucky Barnes Feels, Bucky Barnes Needs a Hug, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Protective Bucky Barnes, Steve Rogers Feels, Steve Rogers Needs a Hug, Stucky - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-05
Updated: 2019-06-05
Packaged: 2020-04-11 10:45:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,642
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19108078
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WolfStar2018/pseuds/WolfStar2018
Summary: Steve buys something he sees on the internet and it might just save his life.





	Bonded

Steve was on his computer one day and saw an ad. It was for something called “bond”. The ad said, “You touch it, they feel it, anywhere on the planet.” You could get bracelets or necklaces. Steve decided to get the bracelets. He didn't tell Bucky right away, not wanting to disappoint his boyfriend. So when the box came he waited till Bucky was gone. He opened the box to see how to set it up. He had to charge them both first. That's okay, he thought to himself. Tomorrow they weren't doing anything. So the next day he got them both out and took them to the living room. He was waiting when Bucky came back from the store. Bucky came right in and sat next to Steve knowing the look on Steve's face meant he had something important to say.

“Bucky, I bought something.” He started. Bucky raised an eyebrow and waited. Steve showed Bucky the bracelets explained what they were. “We can feel each other no matter where we are. If they work the right way. I haven't tested them yet so-”

He was cut off by Bucky saying, “Steve this is genius.”

“Well they are both black so,” Steve handed one over, “try it on?”

Bucky slipped the bracelet on his wrist and smiled up at Steve, “It fits. Now what?”

Steve put his own on. “It fits. They should both be on now we just need to set up the app.”

They both downloaded the app and sat together while they set up their profile and set their preferences. Neither wanted the tracking where they are at all times feature so they decided to ask Natasha for help. She helped them hack it so no one would ever know where they were. She also promised to keep the secret. When it prompted them to connect the devices they went through the steps and then “bonded” the devices with each other. When it said “you are now bonded with your partner” Steve looked up at Bucky's face and they both smiled. Now all they had to do was tap the bracelet to let each other know they were still okay.

The next day Steve got called out on a mission. Bucky didn't want Steve to go but all Steve had to do was raise his right hand to remind Bucky they were okay. “I'll be right back, babe. And whenever I can I'll let you know I'm okay by using this.” Bucky nodded and kissed Steve's cheek. After they said their 'I love you's Steve got on the quinjet.

 

Three days later Bucky is sitting on the couch. The mission wasn't supposed to take this long. Steve should have been back by now. Bucky tapped his bracelet and a minute later felt the tickle that told him Steve was still okay. He felt relieved but was still curious about where the team was. Just then JARVIS announced that the quinjet was almost back. Bucky made it up to the roof just as the jet was landing. As the team filed out they each glanced at him but no one would look him in the eye. Finally he spotted Stark who walked right up to him.

“Barnes, I don't want to tell you this.” Tony took a deep breath and Bucky felt dread fill his veins. “Steve got captured.”

Bucky blinked. His bracelet told him Steve was okay just twenty minutes ago. “What? But...” He hesitated to say anything but knew the team would want to know Steve was okay, “Stark, I have this bracelet...” He explained what it was and that Steve had the paired one.

In the common area of the tower they were all sitting around and talking. Everyone was worried about Steve but didn't want to show it. Every so often Bucky could feel the tickle on his wrist and told the team. Suddenly Clint perked up a bit.

“Hey, morse code! Do you both know that?”

Bucky tipped his head to the side a little. “Why didn't I think about that before? Thanks Barton.” He tapped the code for Steve. A minute later he got back the code for Buck. They exchanged a few simple codes at first to make sure they could still remember and that it would work. Unfortunately Steve couldn't tell where he was right now. Bucky told Steve the team was with him. They would figure out how to find Steve. The last code Bucky got was 'I love you' then nothing for a few hours while the team sat and discussed how to find and save Steve. Bucky was getting more worried the longer he went without hearing from Steve. He was trying to focus on logistics. Finally Natasha punched his flesh arm.

“Barnes, if you wanna get Steve back in one piece you better get your head out of your ass.” She said in a stern voice.

Bucky knew she was right. So he went to the bathroom and splashed water on his face. He looked at himself in the mirror. “You need to focus. You have to find Steve.” He scowled as he spoke to his reflection. “Focus James. Focus.” Then he went back out and helped finish. He was able to focus a little easier this time. They finally had a good idea of who took Steve. AIM. Bucky wasn't sure why AIM would want Steve but he knew he would not rest until they were a smoldering pile of ash if they dared hurt a hair on Steve's head. They planned out their attack and decided to go right away.

They all suited up, including Bucky. There was no way Steve was gonna be rescued by someone else. While they were on the quinjet Bucky looked at his phone. He opened the Bond app and read the messages Steve had sent to him. They had used what Steve told them to figure out who had him. Bucky focused mostly on the last message. He hoped this wasn't the only thing he would have left of Steve. Next thing he knew they were arriving. They all split into groups except Tony, Rhodey and Sam who were flying above. The AIM base they were at almost looked abandoned but Bucky knew better. He had been in a few HYDRA bases that looked abandoned. As he walked towards the door with Natasha on his heels he heard Tony over the coms.

“Not very many life forms that JARVIS is picking up. I'm fairly certain he's picking up all of them. He can't sense a basement either. Just what you see.”

“Thanks, Tony.” Natasha muttered. They arrived at the door and looked at each other. Natasha mouthed, “One. Two. Three.” and Bucky kicked the door in and they both stepped in and shot the two guards. Just then Bucky felt the tickle on his wrist. He didn't stop.

“I'm feeling the bracelet again.” He told the team over the coms. “Steve is scared. I can't even tell what he's saying now.”

No one responded. They didn't need to. Bucky and Natasha came to the door at the end of the hallway and Bucky didn't hesitate to kick it open. What he saw made his heart clench. Steve was in a chair like the one that was used on the Winter Soldier and Bucky saw red. He looked at Natasha and she nodded at him.

“Get Steve. Get out of here. I'm on your six.”

Bucky made short work of the clamps holding Steve down. Steve was sluggish, like AIM had figured out how to drug him. The thought made Bucky's blood boil. As he tried to get Steve to get up and follow him he realized Steve was barely conscious. Bucky holstered his guns and picked up Steve in his arms. He turned around to Natasha who had just taken care of the last AIM guy in the room.

“I have Steve. I'm taking him to the jet. Burn this fucking place to the goddamned ground, Stark!” He shouted into the coms.

“I thought that was already the plan, Terminator.” Tony replied.

“Tony, I swear to god-” Bucky started but was inturupted.

“Not to rain on this love parade here but we are finished. No one left alive.” Wanda told everyone.

“Everyone who is not in flight better get to the jet. Rhodey, Sam, you two ready?” Tony asked.

Bucky was taking all this in as he ran with Steve to the jet. When he got there he set Steve down gently on the cot they had. He ran his hands through Steve's hair and whispered, “Stevie, can you hear me.” Steve blinked his eyes open. Bucky thought Steve was possibly aware of what was going on but he wasn't talking. “It's alright Stevie, I've got you. I'm right here.” Steve's eyes closed again.

When they got back to Stark tower Bucky carried Steve into the medbay and refused to leave. Not that anyone tried too hard. He could be intimidating when he wanted to and he definitely wanted to right now. He waited as they checked to make sure Steve wasn't adversely affected by whatever AIM had used. Finally after what felt like hours the head doctor came up to Bucky cautiously. “I promise I won't hurt you, doctor.” Bucky tried to put the man at ease.

“We are pretty sure the drug they used is, in simple terms, making him drunk. His vitals are all where they should be. This could last for a few more hours or it could be less than one. Unfortunately we aren't sure. This is obviously new territory for us.”

Bucky nodded. “How long does he have to stay here?”

“Actually if you wanted you could take him now.” Bucky was a little surprised about doctor's answer.

“I will. I'll take him to our floor.” The doctor nodded at Bucky and walked away. The nurses offered to help by pushing the hospital gurney but Bucky told them it wasn't necessary. He really wanted to hold Steve close now; not that he told them that. No he would keep that to himself for now. So he carried Steve to the elevator and JARVIS helped by just sending the elevator to where Bucky wanted to go. When he finally got back to the floor where Steve and Bucky lived Bucky took Steve to bed. He gently set Steve on the bed and went to work taking Steve's uniform off. It wasn't the most comfortable thing to sleep in according to Steve. So Bucky managed to put some soft clothes on Steve and then changed into comfortable clothing himself and sat on the bed next to Steve with a book. After about a half an hour Steve woke up.

“Buck.” He croaked out softly.

“Ssh, you're okay now, baby. I'm right here.” Bucky whispered. He felt Steve trying to move. “What do you need, Sweetheart?”

“Cuddle.” Steve murmured.

Bucky set his book down and pulled Steve into his lap. “I love you so much, Stevie.” He whispered as he held Steve close. He buried his face in Steve's hair. “I thought I'd lost you.”

Steve was apparently still a bit under the effects of the drugs cause he just giggled and slurred out a muffled, “You can't get rid of me. I'm like a plague.”

Bucky didn't know what to say to that so he was silent. He sat and held Steve close for a while. About an hour later Steve woke with a groan.

“Buck, why does my head hurt?” He opened his eyes and Bucky could see the confusion in those bright blues. “What happened? I feel like I have a hangover.”

Bucky gently explained what happened without letting go of Steve. When he finished looked down at Steve and said, “I'm so glad you're okay. I thought I'd lost you. I saw you strapped to the same chair HYDRA used on me and I lost my mind a bit. I think Natasha thought she was seeing The Assett again. Also I think I owe Tony an apology for yelling at him.”

“The guy who had me, I think I recall him mentioning you. Before they started the drugs. He said something about eventually putting me in cryo to do the same thing HYDRA did to you. I didn't want to believe him but after that I don't recall much. I do vaguely recall you trying to wake me up on the quinjet.”

Bucky kissed Steve on the head and gently squeezed him a little tighter. “Please,” Bucky tried to say through his tears. “Please promise me you'll never take your bracelet off. Ever. I can't lose you, Babydoll. I love you so damn much it hurts. I want to spend the rest of my life showing you how much I love you. I want to tell you every damn day. I want to wake up next to you, the sun coming in the window and making your hair glow like a halo. You make me want to wake up. If not for you...” Bucky trailed off knowing Steve would know what he was trying to say.

“Buck, I promise I won't take mine off. If you promise you won't take yours off. I wasn't worried about what would happen to me because I knew you would find me. Knowing you were looking for me helped. I would love nothing more than to spend the rest of my life with you. I was in a world where I thought you were dead. I can't do that again. Don't make me...” Steve dropped off with a sob, burying his face in Bucky's chest. This was the first time Steve had acknowledged the pain of watching Bucky fall. It made Bucky's heart clench and he kissed Steve's head again.

The two eventually fell asleep holding onto one another like their lives depended on them staying that way. When they eventually woke up they asked JARVIS to have everyone meet them in the common area. They arrived first and claimed a large chair they could both fit in. Bucky sat down first and Steve sat in his lap. When the team got there everyone claimed a spot saying how grateful they were that Steve was okay. When everyone was finally there Steve started speaking.

“Thank you all for putting your lives at risk to save me. I feel like I've finally found my family. I love you all like the brothers and sisters I never had.” Steve looked into everyones eyes making sure they all knew he meant what he said. “I will do the same for any of you.”

Bucky wanted to say something as well. He hadn't discussed it with Steve but he couldn't wait any longer. He nudged Steve to standing and then knelt down in front of him. “Stevie, I've loved you since we were young. I don't think I knew then exactly how I felt. I know we wouldn't have been able to get married though. I'm so glad this century is much more accepting of things like that. I don't want to spend another day without you. Steven Grant Rogers, will you marry me and make me the happiest man on earth and beyond?”

Steve was crying by the time Bucky was done. “Yes.” He pulled Bucky up to standing and kissed him right there in front of all their friends. There were cheers and clapping and congratulations. Everyone hugged the two and Tony was certainly not crying. Pepper definitely was though. As was Wanda. Natasha may have been but no one was going to mention it. Clint and Sam faked wiping tears away and Bruce and Rhodey both had huge smiles.

Steve and Bucky looked at each other and smiled. “To the end of the line.” they said simultaneously.


End file.
